Just because they're fictional characters doesn't mean we can't care about them—obviously, everyone knows that. But there are reasons that that's true, you know! Scientific reasons, even.

PBS Game/Show explains why we sometimes deeply care about game characters here, and then even lists some of their favorite non-playable characters in games. Makes me curious—what are some of your favorite NPCs? Why do you like them so much?

My top two would have to be Morrigan from Dragon Age (she is a strong, complicated character with an agenda of her own) and basically the entire cast of Persona 4 (WAAAAH WE ATE WATERMELON TOGETHER AND SAVED THE WORLD WITH FRIENDSHIP).